MAN, 21, FACES MULTIPLE HOWARD CHARGES

Larry Carson

A 21-year old North Laurel man is in the Howard County Detention Center, held on $350,000 bail and facing charges that he robbed two different people at knifepoint in the same shopping center on the same day, including one incident that involved a kidnapping and carjacking.

Nortel Maurice Clayton, who lives with his family in the 9500 block of Canterbury Riding in North Laurel, was arrested Wednesday night while seeking treatment for a minor injury at Prince George's Hospital Center, according to Howard County police.

The two crimes occurred Dec. 5 at the Whiskey Bottom Shopping Center. In each incident, patrons of different stores were asked for a ride by a young man and then confronted with a knife when they refused. In the first one, a man leaving a sandwich shop gave up his wallet to the thief, who fled toward the nearby Canterbury Riding apartments.

Later, a man leaving a liquor store was forced into his own car and driven to various ATMs nearby, where he was ordered to withdraw cash. The man was also forced to buy cigarettes at a gas station, and the thief drove the car through the Canterbury Riding apartment complex blowing the horn before taking his loot and running off. Police found the knife in the car.

Acting on a tip, police got a search warrant last week for the Clayton family's apartment and found some incriminating bank receipts. He is now charged with multiple offenses, including armed robbery, armed carjacking, kidnapping, assault, theft and credit card fraud.